Written Answers Thursday 15 July 2010

Scottish Executive

First Minister

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive who was in attendance and what issues were discussed at the recent meeting between the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and the First Minister.

John Swinney: The First Minister met Vince Cable, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, and Tavish Scott, Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats on 1 June 2010. The meetings were arranged following the Secretary of State’s appointment to the new UK Coalition Government. The issues discussed included economic recovery, access to finance and the UK Government’s plans for fiscal consolidation. The First Minister was supported by appropriate Scottish Government officials while the Secretary of State was supported by appropriate UK Government officials.

Fisheries

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it is having with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) regarding effort trading between Scottish and English fishermen.

Richard Lochhead: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has decided, for the 2010-11 effort management period, to permit fishing vessels that it administers to transfer days at sea only to other vessels that it administers. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland has taken an equivalent decision in relation to the vessels that it administers.

  It is for each Fisheries Administration (FA) to consider what steps they regard as necessary to manage the effort of their fleets within the portions of UK fishing effort limits that they are responsible for managing. The Scottish Government considers that it may well be possible to allow for some transfers of days at sea between vessels administered by different FAs, but also considers that close monitoring of any such agreements should be agreed in advance. This issue has been raised in discussions with DEFRA and other FAs, and those discussions continue.

Justice

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what quantity of cannabis has been recovered from cannabis farms in the Lothians in each of the last three years and what the estimated street value was.

Kenny MacAskill: This information is not held centrally.

  The Scottish Government does not hold data on individual drug seizures or offences recorded by the eight police forces in Scotland, and does not therefore hold information on the specific locations in which those seizures took place. As a result it is not possible for the Scottish Government to identify what quantity of cannabis has been recovered from cannabis farms in the Lothians in each of the last three years or what the estimated street value was.

Land

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many sporting estates there are.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government does not hold any data on the number of properties which might be classed as sporting estates. Apart from those estates where game sport is the sole or primary activity, sport shooting or angling also takes place on many other properties in Scotland including, for example, on land where the primary business is agriculture or forestry. Recent research conducted as part of the Scottish Government’s Rural Land Use Study has estimated that at least 20% of Scotland’s land area is managed mainly for sporting purposes.

Local Authorities

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when its officials last met officials from (a) Aberdeen City and (b) Aberdeenshire Council and what matters were discussed.

John Swinney: Scottish Government officials regularly meet officials from councils, including Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils, to discuss a range of issues.

Local Authorities

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth last met the administration of (a) Aberdeen City and (b) Aberdeenshire Council and what matters were discussed.

John Swinney: I last met members of Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils, along with other councils, on 25 June 2010 to discuss issues around public expenditure.

Local Government

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to Fife Council using 0845 telephone numbers to generate income in excess of £40,000 per annum.

John Swinney: This is a matter for Fife Council as an independent corporate body.

Local Government Finance

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth has had with (a) Aberdeen City and (b) Aberdeenshire Council regarding opting out of the council tax freeze for 2011-12.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government has had no discussions with Aberdeen City or Aberdeenshire Councils regarding opting out of the council tax freeze for 2011-12.

Local Government Finance

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions its officials have had with (a) Aberdeen City and (b) Aberdeenshire Council regarding opting out of the council tax freeze for 2011-12.

John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-35196 on 15 July 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Marine Environment

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications of the Merchant Shipping (Ship-to-Ship Transfers) Regulations 2010 are for Scottish port authorities that currently allow ship-to-ship oil transfers.

Richard Lochhead: The UK Government announced a review of the Merchant Shipping (Ship-to-Ship Transfer) Regulations on 8 July 2010.

  This action will defer the entry into force of the Regulations from 1 October 2010 to  1 April 2011 but the announcement made clear that ship to ship transfers require some form of regulation.

  Existing operations in several harbour authority areas in Scotland have a good safety record but the environmental impacts of ship to ship transfer operations is a matter of considerable public interest. I will be seeking reassurance that Scottish interests are taken into account in this review.

Prison Service

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners accessed the Violence Prevention Programme while serving a custodial sentence in each of the last three years, broken down by prison.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Willie Pretswell, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond.

  The SPS has delivered a range of violence/anger related prisoner programmes during the last three years which has included the Violence Prevention Programme (VPP) and the Anger Management programme, which has now been superceded by the Controlling Anger Regulating Emotions (CARE) programme. The CARE programme consists of 25 sessions totalling 96 hours whereas the Anger Management programme was less intensive, comprising of 8 sessions and a total of 30 hours, consequently more resources are required to deliver the CARE programme.

  This suite of programmes has provided options to address the needs of prisoners convicted of offences for violence/anger and supports appropriate targeting of interventions aligned to a prisoner’s level of risk and need.

  The following table details the completions for each of these programmes for the last 3 years. Whilst this highlights a reduction of VPP completions for 2009-10, this reflects appropriate diversion onto the CARE programme as a consequence of the pre-programme assessment."

  Total number of prisoners who have completed ‘violence/anger related’ prisoner programmes in Scottish prisons during the last 3 years

  

 Prison
 Programme
 2007 – 08
 2008 – 09
 2009 – 10


 each
 total
 each
 total
 each
 total


 Edinburgh
 VPP
 0
 0
 10
 10
 8
 8


 Anger 
 0
 0
 0


 CARE
 0
 0
 0


 Glenochil
 VPP
 14
 14
 18
 26
 10
 10


 Anger 
 0
 0
 0


 CARE
 0
 8
 0


 Perth
 VPP
 16
 22
 10
 34
 0
 24


 Anger 
 6
 0
 0


 CARE
 0
 24
 24


 Peterhead
 VPP
 0
 20
 0
 16
 2
 17


 Anger 
 20
 0
 0


 CARE
 0
 16
 15


 Polmont
 VPP
 7
 7
 9
 30
 10
 34


 Anger 
 0
 0
 0


 CARE
 0
 21
 24


 Shotts
 VPP
 27
 43
 29
 58
 14
 33


 Anger 
 16
 0
 0


 CARE
 0
 29
 19


 Barlinnie
 VPP
 0
 17
 0
 22
 0
 18


 Anger 
 17
 6
 0


 CARE
 0
 16
 18


 Kilmarnock
 VPP
 0
 27
 0
 14
 0
 21


 Anger 
 27
 6
 0


 CARE
 0
 8
 21


 Total VPP:
 64
 76
 44


 Total Anger Management:
 86
 12
 0


 Total CARE:
 0
 122
 121


 Total Violence/Anger Progs:
 150
 210
 165

Prison Service

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how long each prisoner released from custody on compassionate grounds under section 3 of the Prisoners and Criminal Proceedings (Scotland) Act 1993 was on licence before their death, broken down by (a) main offence and (b) name of prisoner where available.

Kenny MacAskill: This information is available from the Scottish Government’s website: www.scotland.gov.uk/lockerbie .

Prison Service

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what prisoners have been released on compassionate grounds in the last 12 months.

Kenny MacAskill: Three prisoners have been granted early release on compassionate grounds in the past 12 months. Where the terms of the Data Protection Act allow, their details are provided in following table:

  

 Date of release
 Name of Prisoner


 20 August 2009
 Abdelbaset Ali Mohamed -al Megrahi


 18 September 2009
 Jason Sutherland


 6 July 2010
 Name withheld (still alive)

Renewable Energy

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it was decided to close the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant scheme for electricity generating technologies and new build properties.

Jim Mather: After a period of unprecedented demand for Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grants and with the forthcoming introduction of new building standards, the decision was made to close the scheme to electricity generating technologies and new build properties on 15 March 2010. The announcement was subsequently made on 17 March 2010.

Renewable Energy

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether applications received for the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant scheme but not fully processed by the closure of the scheme on 17 March 2010 will still be considered.

Jim Mather: Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grants is a demand led scheme and able to stay open only as long as funding allows. All those which were being actively assessed but not fully processed before 17 March 2010 were considered for funding.

Roads

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to deter people from leaving litter at the side of motorways.

Richard Lochhead: Transport Scotland is working with range of stakeholders with the remit to manage, maintain and/or influence the control of litter within Scotland’s public road and rail transport corridors, including motorways.

Scottish Government Communications

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to its directorates regarding the use of non-geographic telephone numbers as their main point of contact.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government currently uses a non geographic number, 0845 774 1741, as its published central contact number for the Scottish Government and its directorates. Use of this non geographic number ensures that calls from anywhere in the UK, using the same provider, are charged the same rate regardless of the callers location. There is no revenue sharing on calls to this number.

  The telephony services within the Scottish Government are centrally managed by the Information Services and Information Systems (ISIS) division. ISIS is following the advice of the communications regulator, OFCOM, and is in the process of implementing the use of non geographic 030 numbers for calls to the Scottish Government. Numbers in the 030 range are for the exclusive use of public sector and not-for-profit organisations. All calls to these numbers are charged at no more than the national rate.

Scottish Government Communications

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what studies it has conducted to assess the impact on different income groups of the use of non-geographic telephone numbers by public bodies.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government has not conducted any studies to assess the impact on or benefits for different income groups of the use of non-geographic or 03 telephone numbers by public bodies. We understand, however, that the industry regulator, OFCOM, is currently carrying out a review of all non-geographic call services, including 03 telephone numbers, and that the impact on consumers of the use of these numbers by public bodies will be considered as part of this review.

Scottish Government Communications

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to (a) local authorities and (b) NHS boards regarding the use of 03 telephone numbers as a main point of contact.

John Swinney: No guidance has been issued by the Scottish Government to local authorities or NHS boards on the use of 03 telephone numbers as a main point of contact.

Scottish Government Communications

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issues to its directorates regarding the use of 03 telephone numbers as their main point of contact.

Jim Mather: Telephony services within the Scottish Government are centrally managed by the Information Services and Information Systems (ISIS) division. ISIS is following the advice of the communications regulator, OFCOM, and is in the process of implementing the use of non geographic 030 numbers. ISIS has reserved a block of 030 numbers for use by the Scottish Government.

Scottish Government Finance

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to bring forward any major capital or revenue expenditure in order to avoid paying the increased cost resulting from the rise in VAT.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government is reviewing expenditure profiles where the scope for flexibility exists.

Wildlife

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it provides annually to the Langholm Moor project.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government does not provide any funding directly to the Langholm Moor project. Projected Scottish Natural Heritage funding is £973,491 over ten years. The Langholm Moor Project is also funded by Buccleuch Estates, the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, the RSPB and Natural England.